I once interviewed for a job here, then was flat-out rejected, but I ain’t too proud to keep buying their decadent soaps.

Mongolian sneaker BBQ, baby! Make your own kicks for $100 – you can choose everything from the colors and materials down to the tongues and laces.

It’s not the original (which is in JP, of course), but the ice cream is fresh and tasty and the coffee surprisingly good.

No joke, I actually bought a Ferragamo scarf here for $10 once. It’s that awesome.

Believe it or not, Johnny’s ain’t got nothing to do with cupcakes. The wacky t-shirts sold here are one of my favorite things.

The Pru, as old-timey locals call it, is one of Boston’s tallest buildings. The Shops, on the other hand, are more like Copley Place’s little sister…sure, there are some gems, like Free People, L’Occitane, and the soon-to-open Mango, but for the most part, this is your typical mall, made a bit less typical by the facts that a) it’s connected by skybridge to Copley Place, b) it’s shaped like a starfish, and c) it’s right in the heart of the Back Bay.

Definitely the best place to eat after a long day of shopping at the Pru. Cocktails start at around $11 – don’t say I didn’t warn you!

You can live in Boston for years and never make it up to the Allston-Brighton area: the B line of the trolley is notoriously slow, and most people have no idea how glorious Allston really is. Okay, so maybe you have to avoid puddles of puke on Sunday mornings, but that doesn’t stop me from walking down here to pick up some house stuff at the TrueValue or check out the kitties in the weird pet store. And Rangoli’s got a great brunch! Shops to check out: Mint Julep, Urban Renewals, and Pixie. Added bonus: Marty’s and Blanchard’s are both excellent liquor stores.

Fanueil Hall has been around since the 18th century, functioning as a meeting hall and marketplace. While the upper floors are now a museum, the marketplace is still going strong. Shops and eateries abound inside Faneuil Hall and adjacent Quincy Market, North Market and South Market. While many of the shops are typical mall stores (The Gap, American Eagle Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret all have homes here), Faneuil Hall is a great place for Boston souvenirs and unique gifts. It’s also the best place in town to try clam chowdah!

Don’t bring me here! Last time I hit up the Wrentham Village Outlets, I spent most of my paycheck at Saks Off 5th and the Coach outlet, barely leaving enough money for a pair of sandals at the Birkenstock outlet. Fortunately, I was wearing sneakers with pockets and found $5 for gas money for the drive home. Wrentham is a bit out of the way, but there are actually tour companies that offer trips here – well worth the cost.

Atrium is downright tacky if you ask me, with its gold rails and shiny everything. On the other hand, it and the mall right across the street are both terrifically quiet and lacking in what usually defines a mall – teenagers. Instead, this mall is filled with pleasant mid-level shops like Ann Taylor and J.Crew, and has an excellent Borders to relax in.

The South End is Boston’s version of Brooklyn, sort of. It’s got the brownstones, the eateries, but best of all, the cute little independently-owned shops Bostonians so wish for as their city becomes more and more gentrified.

The bad part is that Cambridgeside is a pretty standard mall with really annoying advertising. The good part is that you can sit on a bench and watch some really nutty stuff happen here. The best time to hit up this mall is right after school lets out, when you can catch teenage mall rats making out in really inappropriate places. The other nice thing about this mall is its proximity to public transportation, making it #1 as far as Boston-area malls go.